Towns/Villages In The North

[galwayman]

Was in Belfast over the weekend. On the way home we kinda lost our way a bit so ended up taking a slightly scenic route and going through some small towns/villages such as Scarva in Down and a few more.
The thing that struck me going through these towns is all of the Union Jacks,Ulster,UVF etc flags in a lot of the towns.

I'm just wondering is it the case in the North that a lot of the towns are nearly exclusively Protestant or exclusively Catholic or are these towns mainly mixed but the protestant community in these towns puts flags up or what's the story?
Driving through Armagh city there were Union Jacks everywhere - I didn't realise this was a mainly protestant city?

Am just curious about this as I have only been in the North 2 or 3 times so it is strange for me to see this.
We actually stopped in Scarva to grab a bite to eat and only noticed all the flags and people outside the pubs wearing Rangers jerseys etc when we got out of the car. It was actually a little intimidating as Southerners so we decided to keep moving

[fitzroyalty]

This is unionists' pethetic method of marking their territory/stirring up tension, regardless of whether they are in majority or not. Sometimes you just have to humour the tubes, let them put their wee flags up, and hope they get taken down before the end of autumn.

[AFS]

Driving through Armagh city there were Union Jacks everywhere - I didn't realise this was a mainly protestant city?

Armagh would actually be about 70% Catholic I think.

[AFS]

I spent a lot of time up around North Antrim this summer and the number of tourists from the south was very noticeable. Another thing that was very noticeable was the appearance of places like Armoy and Bushmills. This area has some of the best natural scenery in the country and has a lot of tourism potential, but you'd think a few community leaders up around there would have the cop on to advise the locals to tone down all that shite. Even as a northerner who'd be familiar enough with this stuff it was intimidating enough, so I can't imagine it makes much of a positive impression on those travelling from further afield.

[mylestheslasher]

I spent a lot of time up around North Antrim this summer and the number of tourists from the south was very noticeable. Another thing that was very noticeable was the appearance of places like Armoy and Bushmills. This area has some of the best natural scenery in the country and has a lot of tourism potential, but you'd think a few community leaders up around there would have the cop on to advise the locals to tone down all that shite. Even as a northerner who'd be familiar enough with this stuff it was intimidating enough, so I can't imagine it makes much of a positive impression on those travelling from further afield.

Bushmills brewery weren't long toning it down when the financial squeeze came from Irish America. I believe it says brewed in Co Antrim on the back of the bottle now.

[fingerbob]

Was talkin to a friend of mine yesterday from Crossgar in Down who was tellin me that the place was covered in union jacks and the like with a parade coming up. Now this place is 75 percent catholic if not more since 2001 and I made the comparison with neighbouring ballynahinch which would be around 33-35 percent catholic, and the thought of it being covered in tricolours and a nationalist parade going through the town centre was totally unthinkable. But sure it's all just a bit of culture..

[thewobbler]

Sadly, our island is full of people who are not content in knowing who they are and what they stand for, unless they constantly shoving it down the throats of everyone they meet.

[muppet]

This is unionists' pethetic method of marking their territory/stirring up tension, regardless of whether they are in majority or not. Sometimes you just have to humour the tubes, let them put their wee flags up, and hope they get taken down before the end of autumn.

The increase in stabbings won't help tourism in Mayo but try telling that to the idiots.

[Orior]

Was talkin to a friend of mine yesterday from Crossgar in Down who was tellin me that the place was covered in union jacks and the like with a parade coming up. Now this place is 75 percent catholic if not more since 2001 and I made the comparison with neighbouring ballynahinch which would be around 33-35 percent catholic, and the thought of it being covered in tricolours and a nationalist parade going through the town centre was totally unthinkable. But sure it's all just a bit of culture..

I was in Comber the other day, and it is bedecked with unionist flags, all summer. Yet some politicians hyperventilate at a single hungerstrike commemeration in a field in Tyrone.

[Tony Baloney]

Was in Belfast over the weekend. On the way home we kinda lost our way a bit so ended up taking a slightly scenic route and going through some small towns/villages such as Scarva in Down and a few more.
The thing that struck me going through these towns is all of the Union Jacks,Ulster,UVF etc flags in a lot of the towns.

I'm just wondering is it the case in the North that a lot of the towns are nearly exclusively Protestant or exclusively Catholic or are these towns mainly mixed but the protestant community in these towns puts flags up or what's the story?
Driving through Armagh city there were Union Jacks everywhere - I didn't realise this was a mainly protestant city?

Am just curious about this as I have only been in the North 2 or 3 times so it is strange for me to see this.
We actually stopped in Scarva to grab a bite to eat and only noticed all the flags and people outside the pubs wearing Rangers jerseys etc when we got out of the car. It was actually a little intimidating as Southerners so we decided to keep moving

Coming through Armagh today you would probably have been held up as those feckers from the GAA were parading through the city!

[fingerbob]

I was in Comber the other day, and it is bedecked with unionist flags, all summer. Yet some politicians hyperventilate at a single hungerstrike commemeration in a field in Tyrone.

But at least comber is majority unionist. The point I'm making is that crossgar is 75% catholic and yet it is seemed alright to subject the people of the village to the parade (while if it was vice versa it would probably make the news and cause alot of trouble) and on top of that close the main road from belfast to downpatrick for a few hours which directed me directly as the woman was held up for half an hour by it and I had ordered a chinese for her to pick up before I knew about it and ended up getting it nearly an hour later and it was luke warm!! 

[ardmhachaabu]

I was in Comber the other day, and it is bedecked with unionist flags, all summer. Yet some politicians hyperventilate at a single hungerstrike commemeration in a field in Tyrone.

But at least comber is majority unionist. The point I'm making is that crossgar is 75% catholic and yet it is seemed alright to subject the people of the village to the parade (while if it was vice versa it would probably make the news and cause alot of trouble) and on top of that close the main road from belfast to downpatrick for a few hours which directed me directly as the woman was held up for half an hour by it and I had ordered a chinese for her to pick up before I knew about it and ended up getting it nearly an hour later and it was luke warm!! 

jaysus fingerbob, if that has you angry, I wouldn't like to see you with something really wrong!

[fingerbob]

jaysus fingerbob, if that has you angry, I wouldn't like to see you with something really wrong!

  I think it was more the lack of chinese that rattled my cage!

[Baile an tuaigh]

The old saying a bout the smaller the house the bigger the flag comes to mind.

Our village would be richly mixed, however though we do have streamers up for one week each year. We tell the tourists its for a festival. Each year we see less and less streamers. Which is some comparison to fifteen years ago. Over all it seems to be dying  even the local Protestant population don't seem to be bothered with it anymore. It can make life uncomfortable for everyone in such a small confined area. On the other hand  I couldn't imagine putting up green ones I would be totally embarrassed.

If you travel round North Antrim places like Cushendall, Glenarrife, Ballycastle, Cushendun which would be mostly pro Irish don't have their towns covered in flags and graffiti. Compare this to Mosside, Dervock, Bushmills, Armoy etc which would be pro British towns are claried in rhetoric which it makes it look  untidy and unsightly. Surprised some of the community leaders in these areas didn't take more of a stand in cleaning the area up.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Sadly, our island is full of people who are not content in knowing who they are and what they stand for, unless they constantly shoving it down the throats of everyone they meet.

God I hate that Cork crowd!